It is a common but not unrealistic stereotype of Asian students that educational success is a matter of personal identity and status. As such, achieving distinctions in as many subjects as possible (the popular target of becoming a 'straight A' student) is usually a non-negotiable objective nurtured by both parents and educators. However,…

Nowadays, the virtual learning environment has become an ideal tool for professional self-development and bringing courses for various learner audiences across the world. There is currently an increasing interest in researching the topic of learner dropout and low completion in distance learning, with one of the main concerns being elevated rates…

During the Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education Conference 2014, a workshop was held three consecutive times as part of the Pedagogical Speed Dating sessions to introduce experienced college/university faculty and instructional designers to an approach to instructional design that is based on increasing motivation. The purpose of…

During their university career, students go through a series of changes regarding their professional and personal development. Students may not be aware that this process is occurring, but universities need to make sure that the learning process is strengthened by taking this process into account in the design of instruction and coursework.…

Authentic learning is conceptualised as an individualised experience learners undergo fulfilling their unique psychological as well as neurological needs. It provides a deep, more lasting experience and ideally assessed through generic attributes that are related to individual learners' intrinsic characteristics, spanning throughout the life.…

In the conventional English as a Second Language (ESL) class-based learning environment, teachers use a fixed learning sequence and content for all students without considering the diverse needs of each individual. There is a great deal of diversity within and between classes. Hence, if students' learning outcomes are to be maximised, it is…

In this article, the author shares some findings from his classroom observations. He has found that, in the typical classroom, a small group of students answers many questions and as much as half of the class answers no questions at all. One problem with such a response pattern is that teachers often decide how well the lesson is going from the…

The comments and profiles of four adult learners indicate that complex forces form a diverse population, and that institutions can build programs responsive to the individual backgrounds and motivation of this growing college audience. (MSE)

The development of an inventory of approaches to studying, undertaken at the University of Lancaster, is reported. Concepts such as motivation, study behavior, styles, and strategies are considered, the inventory scale is defined, and relationships between study strategies and academic performance are discussed. (Author/JMD)

This article defines school improvement, looks at indicators of quality schools, discusses the characteristics of the middle level child and proposes practical strategies which blend research data and school level practices for the middle level learner. In order to clearly understand the school improvement movement at the middle level, one must be…

Reports on two aspects of the SIMULATE (Simulation Authoring Tools Environment) project: an account of the learning processes that are involved in learning with computer simulations, and an inventory of learner attributes. Topics discussed include ISLEs (intelligent simulation learning environments), prior knowledge, motivation, cognitive style,…

Discusses the basic concepts of andragogy, or the teaching of adults. Topics include differences between children and adults; characteristics of adult learners, including time perspective, motivation, being self-directed, and experienced in life skills; and effective program design for adults. (LRW)

A model for integrating motivational activities into instruction and the problem with motivational activities in the classroom for the disadvantaged learner are examined. Eight basic learning processes are identified that the teacher should understand in preparation for presenting information to students: attention/reception, selective perception,…

Recommends exposure to and interaction with classroom visitors to influence children's views of themselves, learning, and school. Illustrates the effects of a visiting poet and a visit to a butterfly farm on children who have lost confidence in their abilities to read and write. Emphasizes the value of providing opportunities to respond to real…

This paper reports the results of 3 years of Chinese language instruction experience at the Rochester Chinese Institute. The author designed, implemented, and evaluated a comprehensive instructional curriculum in Chinese language for students aged 11-17 years. Students were first generation American Chinese children of Chinese interracial…